This month’s ‘What’s Baking’ challenge theme was a good one–A Small Dessert for 1 or 2. It was hosted by Eva from Eva Bakes and a great idea. Seeing as it’s only Husband and I (no kids thanks-just the dog), I often find that recipes make just way.too.much. for just the 2 of us.

This strudel is delicious. The cranberries are so tart and the Meyer lemon adds a bit of sweetness. It can’t get easier than just unrolling the puff pastry either.

This is the perfect strudel to make in the dead of winter as both blood oranges and Meyer lemons are in season. Feel free to use more or less of the Meyer lemon, blood orange and/or regular orange juice.

Set a large sauce pan over medium heat. Add the sugar, zest, corn starch and juices and stir to combine and dissolve. Add cranberries, stir and bring to a boil and continue cooking for 10-15 minutes, stirring constantly. The mix will thicken up considerably and the cranberries will burst.

Remove the pan from the heat and put in the fridge for 2 hours.

While the cranberry mix is cooling thaw the pastry as to the package instructions for countertop.

Preheat oven to 375.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Lay one puff pastry sheet on one half of the baking sheet. Spread half of the cranberry mix down the middle section of the pastry, fold the left and right over the center. Pinch the dough at each end together to make a seal. Using a small sharp knife cut a few holes gently into the top layer of the pastry. Reapeat with the remaing pastry dough.

Mix the egg and water together and, using a pastry brush, gently brush the egg wash on top of the pastry.

Bake for 30-40 minutes.

Allow to cool for 15 minutes on the baking sheet then transfer to wire racks to cool.

Mix the confectioners sugar and orange juice together and, when the strudels are fully cooled, drizzle over the tops of each.

Slice and serve.

Note: this makes 2 strudels. To make only 1 cut all ingredients in half.

Have you bought granola recently? Holy cow it’s a fortune!! I’ve seen a few recipies here and there for it but I never tried to make it. Recently I took the cookbook ‘Quinoa 365’ out of the library and spotted their ‘Ultimate Granola’. Well-it wasn’t MY ultimate granola as I can’t stand raisins and I’m not much of a pumpkin seed fan-so I made it my own. It’s full of all kinds of good stuff-the flake coconut and the tart cranberries are so great together and I love the whole almonds and parts of walnuts.

Feel free to make the same kind of adjustments to YOUR ultimate granola.

Yummy Granola

Ingredients:

2.5 cups rolled oats (not instant)

1 cup whole almonds

1 cup sunflower seeds

1/3 cup sesame seeds

1/3 cup uncooked quinoa

1/2 cup flaked coconut (unsweetened and crushed into small bits)

1/2 cup walnut pieces

1 cup real maple syrup

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 tsp cinnamon

3/4 cup cranberries

Instructions:

Pre-heat oven to 225F.

Combine all ingredients through and including walnuts in a large bowl and mix well.

In a small bowl mix the syrup and vanilla and stir to combine. Pour the syrup over the oat mixture and stir until evenly distributed. Add the cinnamon and stir again until evenly mixed.